Dr. Lawali Abubakar, the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto Chapter, has urged the Federal Government not to make holding 2010 election in January mandatory.

“We should not be too rigid on ourselves if we want a transparent, credible, free and fair elections in this country, “ he said

Speaking with newsmen in Sokoto, Abubakar said, “my fear is that time constraint may not allow INEC to do a transparent elections for now’’.

He called on the National Assembly to apply the doctrine of necessity in postponing the conduct of the 2010 election by suspending the new provisions in the constitution that make it mandatory to hold elections in January.

Abubakar also added his voice to the call for the Federal Government to maintain neutrality in its dealing with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He said that this would ensure free and fair election, which he added, “is the basis for acceptability and transparency”.

On the creation of new states, Abubakar said that the factor of viability should be given serious consideration in order not to put much strain on the economy.

He pointed out that states should be created based on their viability and independence to survive without the monthly federal allocations.

On security, the don called on stakeholders to adopt a holistic approach in promoting security in the country, describing unrest, including political violence as threat to the nation’s democracy.

“Politicians must complement the effort of various tiers of government by promoting political tolerance and understanding to ensure peaceful conduct of the forth coming general elections” he said.

Abubakar urged Nigerian politicians to imbibe the culture of seeking elective positions in a peaceful and transparent manner and not as a do-or-die affair.

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